Truck for transport of ships, &amp;c.



No. 722,436. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

C. V; SUPPAN & B. SZBNDI.

TRUCK POR TRANSPORT OF SHIPS, &o. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1901.

UNITED STATES EEICE. v

PATENT CARL VICTOR SUPPAN, OF VIENNA, AND BLA SZENDI, OF BUDAPEST,AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

TRUCK FOR TRANSPORT OF SHIPS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 722,436, dated,March10, 1903. Application led September 5, 1901. Serial No. 74,410. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom it* may concern,.-

Be it known that we, CARL VICTOR SUPPAN, residing at Vienna, and BLASZENDI, residing at Budapest, Austria-Hungary, subjects of the Emperorof Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrucks for Transport of Ships or other Vessels, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a truck for the transport of a ship or vesselalong an inclined or horizontal track, the vessel being suspended bymeans of tension devices.

The truck, which is open at both ends and may be shorter than thevessel, is provided with tension devices, which are drawn over pulleysmounted on the sides of the truck and arranged partly transverse andpartly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck. The ends of thesedevices are fastened to the truck, so that they can adapt themselvesautomatically to the shape of the ship resting upon them.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by Way of example one form of truckof this kind for transporting a ship.

Figure l is a diagrammatic side view of the truck with a vessel restingin it. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a cross-section and a side view ofthe truck, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 4: is a plan showing thecarrying-bands.

a is the truck-body, which is open at both ends and has two-verticalsidesb b. It has pairs of wheels c, arranged to run on rails rl. At theupper ends of the sides b pulleys fare mounted on axles e, parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the truck, and at the lower parts of the sidesb there are pulleys g, the-axles of which are transverse to thelongitudinal axis of the truck. Over these pulleys is drawn a tensiondevice which has its ends attached to the truck and its middle portionst' hanging down between the sides b, so as to constitute a bed for thevessel j, adapting itself automatically to the form ot the vessel, sothat the load on the bed is distributed uniformly over the frame, thebilge, and the lateral walls of the vessel.

The parts of the tension device which pass 4over the pulleys f and underthe vessel preferably consist of bands or straps connected together bymeans of chains or ropes lo, passing under the pulleys g. Fig. ltshows asystem of supporting-bands of this kind. Hare the points where the endsof the tension device are fastened to the truck.

Instead of a single tension device there may be employed a number ot'independent tension devices having their ends fixed to the truck, eachof these devices forming a bed for that" part ot' the vessel which restson it and adaptingitself automatically to the shape of the vessel. Atruck of this kind for transporting vessels, ships, can be madeconsiderably shorter than the vessel.

As stated above, one or more tension devices may be employed, saidtension device or devices constituting the cradle in which the vessel isheldin suspension in the vehicle body or superstructure, the bands i ofthe cradle or of a cradle-section being connected by chains le into anendless series, the terminals of which are secured to thesuperstructure, the chains running under the retaining and guiderollers, the connection of the bands by the chains being clearly shownin Fig. 3, sothat the cradle or its sections will automatically adjustthemselves to the cross-sectional contour or outline of a vessel. Thus,for instance, a chain gconnects the ends of the two bands on the left,the chain on the opposite end of the rst band on the left being secu redto the vehicle, while the chain on the opposite end of the second bandis connected to the end of the third band, and so on, forming an endlessseries.

When it is desired to transport a vessel by a truck of this kind, thetruck is run along an incline under Water and the vessel is floated overit and made fast by ropes between the two sides b of the truck. Thetruck, along with the vessel, is then drawn out of the water, and thevessel settles down upon the tension devices t', first with its stem,then gradually with the middle part, and finally with the stern, in sucha manner that the tension devices t' adapt themselves to the shape ofthe vessel. The reverse operation takes place when the truck, with thevessel suspended in it, is run under Water, the vessel gradually Heatingup from the truck, commencing by the stem.

We claim- 1. A Vehicle for transporting vessels provided with a suitablebody or superstructure, in combination with a cradle in Which a vesselyis held in suspension in said superstructure and composed of flexiblebands adapted-V to automatically adjust themselves to thecross-sectional outline of such vessel, substantially as set forth.

2. A vehicle for transporting vessels, provided with a suitable body orsuperstructure, in combination with a cradle in which a vessel is heldin suspension in said superstructure and composed of one or more partseach formed of flexible bands connected into an endless series havingiixed terminals, and pulleys suitably arranged to support, retainand'guide said endless bands, for the purpose set forth.

3. A vehicle for transporting vessels, provided with a suitable body orsuperstructure, in combination with a cradle in which a vessel is heldin suspension in said superstructure, and composed of one or more partseach formed of flexible bands connected by chains into an endless serieshaving fixed terminals, pulleys suitably arranged to support the bandsand pulleys suitably arranged to retain and guide the chains,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CARL VICTOR sUPPAN. BLA szENDI.

Witnesses as to signature of Carl Victor Suppan:

FERDINAND TOPOLANVKI, ALvEsTo S. HOGUE. Vitnesses as to signature ofBela Szendi:

PAUL J. TOMANOERY, Jr., A. BRONSTEIN.

